The Darkest Hour
by AlwaysUnrivaled
Summary: Cami is thrown into the world full of demigods, monsters and quests. She teams up and leaves with the charming Luke Cestellan, but her choice causes The Darkest Hour and downfall of Luke. This is the story of how Luke Castellan gained a scar, lost himself, and fell in love. The Darkest Hour draws near and Cami must stop it before its too late. Is love worth the risk? Luke/OC
1. Chapter 1

**If you are reading this, please review! I only want to write this if people will read it! I think this story will be fun to write, so hopefully you have fun reading it!**

They tell me that I was found on the porch of the orphanage in the middle of the night. I like to think that it was like Kung Fu Panda 2, where my mother was just trying to save me, so she had to leave me. But my story is more like Lewis in Meet The Robinsons, and I will never find out what really happened.

Orphanages are nothing like the movies. The headmaster, Ms. Oscar, is gentle and sympathetic. She is always trying to be everyone's mother, even if they don't want her to. She is middle aged, plump, but beautiful. She adores kids. She says she always wanted kids, but her husband-and love of her life-was killed before they ever had a chance. She says that she would feel like she was betraying him if she ever got married. So we became her children. The orphanage is simple, and I share a room with several other girls. They aren't brutally mean or annoying. Most of them keep to themselves or stay in a tight clique.

I stick close to Ms. Oscar. She doesn't compare me to others, and I appreciate that more than she could ever know. I am not as smart as Lucille, or as athletic as Mary. I'll never be a beauty queen like Britney. I have passing grades, I can play sports, and I am not hideous, but I'll never be as good as them. Instead, I am Camille, the troublemaker. Bad things happen to me. When it is my night to cook, something always catches on fire. When we go out to the park, someone always gets hurt. Everyone else in the orphanage finds it amusing-until someone gets hurt-but Ms. Oscar just pretends that nothing happens.

"There's something special, pumpkin. There are big things in store for you," Ms. Oscar assured me since I was a little girl. Her eyes twinkled-and still do-as if she knew something. I don't care if she tells everyone else the same thing. It makes me feel special.

There is a boys wing and a girls wing, but I have never ventured into the boys part, unlike most of the other girls. Sixteen is a curious age for us. We are two years away from being able to leave this place, and everyone is itching to explore. I am not. I am comfortable in Ms. Oscar's care. I don't ever want to be eighteen.

"What do you think my mom is like?" I ask Ms. Oscar as I help her with the laundry. While the others play, I work. Ms. Oscar always tries to get me to socialize, but I never do. I almost correct myself and say _was like, _but I refuse to think that anything bad happened to her.

"I'm sure you are a lot like her," Ms. Oscar says, immediately cheering me up. "Strong willed, but perhaps a bit distant. I hope you aren't as bitter you appear." I am not bitter, just wishful. Every time I go out, I see families. Two parents, kids, a dog, and they are always smiling. I'll never be a part of that.

"Why don't you think anyone ever adopted me?" I ask. I always ask her these questions. I don't take Ms. Oscar's presence for granted. I ask her before it is too late. I ask her while she is still around. She gives me a desperate look, and I know I should drop it. I know what her answer will be. _Because bad things always happened when they came and wanted you. _I wish that it wasn't the reason, but it is. People get hurt around me. Except Ms. Oscar.

"Sort the clothes," Ms. Oscar asked. She is the only adult who doesn't pity me. She never thinks _poor girl who will never have a family. _I don't know what she thinks, but I hope it is something like _you are here for a reason. _"Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?"

"All of us? Isn't that a little expensive?" I know Ms. Oscar has a decent amount of money, but she shouldn't spend it all on us.

"Just you and me, dear," Ms. Oscar answers. There is a tone in her voice that I can't quite decipher. She has never played favoritism, but I don't remember the last time she took someone else for dinner. She has always had this "all of you or none of you" motto. All of us got candy, or none of us did. All of us went to bed, or none of us do. Not one. Not some. But all. I want to ask her _why me _but I don't think I'm ready for the answer.

That night, Ms. Oscar tells the others that there has been an emergency, and that she has to take me somewhere for a while. This is the first time she has ever lied. At least, I hope it is. I also notice that she says _awhile, _not _for a few hours. _How long is awhile?

We take her simple car and she asks me where I want to eat. I choose Panda Express. I am a sucker for Chinese, even if it is fake and Americanized. "How did you sleep last night?" she asks as if it is a trick question.

"Fine," I say, hesitating at first.

"Any bad dreams?"

I shake my head. Not last night. I have a few nightmares, but no more than the average teenager who has been abandoned. Sometimes, the screams and cries of girls' dreams keep me up. We are all haunted by the life that we could have had. I think for a second and say, "There was banging in the attic. It kept me up for a while. I think it was a squirrel."

She gives me a doubtful look. There is something in her eyes that says it wasn't a squirrel. "I'll have to check into that."

"Maybe I was imagining it," I add, even though she might think I'm crazy now. "I could have dreamed it. There was only noise when my eyes were shut. When I opened them, it stopped. It's just me. None of the other girls seemed bothered by it."

"Yes, maybe it was a dream," she says, mostly to herself. We pull into the parking lot. We live smack dab in the middle of New York City. The traffic is awful, but Panda Express is just down the road. I have become comfortable with crowds, as long as I am not in the middle of it.

We order and sit in the corner. I barely have time to take a bite of my steaming food when there is a scream.

"Oh god, I should have taken you straight there," Ms. Oscar murmurs. I open my mouth to ask her what she means, but there is too much chaos. Ms. Oscar is staring at something. I turn and bite back a scream. There is a monster in the middle of the restaurant. I don't believe it at first. But it is there. I see it with my own eyes. I grab Ms. Oscar, telling her that we should go. She doesn't budge.

The monster locks eyes with me. It lunges toward me. I try to jump out of the way, but it grabs me. I squirm and fight, but I am no match. I have no chance. _Oh my god, I'm going to die. _That was definitely not on the agenda for today.

Ms. Oscar jumps up and pulls out a sword. I am in so much shock, I can barely process what is going on. She swipes at the monster, and it growls at her. It drops me and focuses on Ms. Oscar.

"RUN!" she screams at me. "I'm not going to die just for you to die too!" She just admitted that she is going to die now. I don't want it to happen.

"I can't leave you," I cry out, refusing to believe that Ms. Oscar will die. She is all I have left. Someone grabs my shoulder. I don't have time to see their faces. One of them tosses me over their shoulder and starts to walk out of the restaurant.

"Someone help Alyssa Oscar!" a males voice yells out. It is like a battle cry. But it is too late. I am able to lean up and I see Ms. Oscar fall to the ground. Blood pools around her.

She is dead.

I am alone.

I let out a wild cry, "Let me go! Let me go! I want Ms. Oscar! Don't take me away from her!" I am kicking and sobbing, but it is no use. The person carrying me is too strong and broad for me. Suddenly, exhaustion washes over me and I pass out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the review demigodflock! It means a lot to me and it inspired this chapter! Please review if you are reading this! Enjoy! **

I wake up in full on panic mode. I don't know where I am, and it takes me a second to even remember who I am. I am Camille, no last name, I am 16, I have dark red hair, blue eyes, and tan skin. After that, everything comes back. The death of Ms. Oscar washes over me again. I am so frantic, I can't find the tears to cry.

I sit up and look around. I am in a dark room, a lamp in the corner, and nothing else but the bed that I am in. The bed isn't very comfortable. My back hurts and I have a throbbing headache. The door swings open and I am in awe. It is a centaur. I am a mythology freak, always reading books of Hercules and Jason. But they aren't real. This can't be real. He has twinkling blue eyes and a scruffy beard. He clops in and gives me a slight smile.

"Why did I pass out?" I question.

"Just a little trick to make you calm down," he replies.

"So you drugged me," I reply flatly.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood," he welcomes to me, as if I should be happy to be here. I just want to go back to the orphanage. I want to go back and see Ms. Oscar. I want this all to be a dream.

"Half what?" I groan.

"Half human, half god. But this isn't the time. You should be fully recovered before I say anything more," he says, as if I didn't catch the first part. Half human and half god? There is no such thing. I scoff at him. I must be in a mental institute. But once I think about it, I believe him. The monster in the restaurant. I am looking at a centaur. I believe it because I see it.

"Am I one of them?" I ask.

"Yes, or you wouldn't be here," he replies and then his smile grows. "I am Chiron. Perhaps you should sleep more before I give you a tour."

I shake my head, "I want to go back to the orphanage."

"I am afraid the orphanage no longer exists," he tells me, the twinkling leaves his eyes. He pities me. I don't want him to pity me.

"What do you mean?" I slowly ask, wondering what could have happened.

"When you disappeared, monsters came and burned down the building in the middle of the night. They wanted to kill you. They thought you were there," he answers. I find the tears. I cry. The building that I grew up in is gone. It is all my fault.

"Is everyone okay?" I choke out, my voice hoarse and broken.

"They are all dead," he replies. They are all dead because of me. Pageant Queen Britney, Olympics bound Mary, and future Harvard graduate Lucille. Their futures have been torn away from them. I suddenly feel like they are haunting me. Their smiles. Their bright eyes. So full of hope. Gone. I cry harder. I refuse to believe it. I want to see it. He has to prove it.

"You're lying!" I scream, but the scream isn't very loud. I can barely even hear it. "I want Ms. Oscar!" Everything I have is gone. My home. My almost mother. Who am I without them?

Chiron says nothing. He lets me cry it out. I just want to be alone, but he stands there for what seems like hours. Finally, I have no tears to cry. I want the sadness to go away, but it will be with me forever. I want to ask him what monsters did it, so I can kill them. But I don't have the courage. I am too heartbroken to be embarrassed by my meltdown. Chiron must think I am weak. _Big girls don't cry, _Fergie sang. But she had never gone through this. Big girls do cry. Strong girls cry. I feel weak, but I don't care.

"I want to see the camp," I finally whimper. I can't sit here. I want to see where I am. I want to distract myself. But Ms. Oscar and the dead girls are stamped in my mind. I slowly stand, stretch and follow Chiron outside. It feels like I have stepped back in time. The buildings have come straight from villages in Greece. Otherwise, it looks like just a normal camp. There are kids playing volleyball, girls sunbathing in bikinis, and boys doing archery. Then I notice the climbing wall with lava, the pond with mermaids, and a satyr is flirting with the girls in bikinis.

Chiron explains the schedule, the magical boundaries and training.

A few campers approach me. They all wear warm smiles and seem glad to see me. It feels fake to me. Of course they want me to be comfortable here. I know that I will have to stay here. I have nowhere else to go. I don't want to be on the streets by myself.

"Who do you think her parent is?" one of them asks. I wonder the same thing. There are several major and minor gods, and I could be the daughter of any of them. I _am_ special. I just don't know if its a good special.

"I'm sure we will find out soon," Chiron tells them and then waves them away. "You will enjoy your time here. Until then, you will stay in the Hermes cabin." He leads me to a crowded cabin. There is so little room, I wonder how I will fit. I immediately feel claustrophobic. "Luke, help her settle in."

Oh my god, its a co-ed cabin. I had avoided boys at all cost at the orphanage. Now I will be sleeping in the same room as them. I open and shut my mouth a million times. I don't even remember the last time I talked to a male.

"We don't bite," the boy, Luke assures me. He is incredibly handsome, but I barely notice. "We might be vicious, smelly and insensitive, but we're not that bad." I don't say anything.

"You're scaring her," a girl pipes up. She has gorgeous curly blonde hair and big blue eyes. "Ignore Luke, I'm Annabeth."

"Hi," I say, but I nervously cast glances at everyone else. I'll find a way to sleep outside tonight. I know that monsters can't come in, but I would feel better if boys couldn't come in either.


	3. Chapter 3

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Dinnertime is chaotic. Meals at the orphanage were chaotic, but this takes it to a whole new level. It's loud, energetic and everyone seems so happy. They all seem like a big, happy family. I feel out of place. I seem like the only one who is sad. I sit at the Hermes table, and everyone tries their best to be friendly. Luke sits next to me.

"It's pretty crazy," he seems to have the need to tell me. As if I haven't already noticed. He waits for me to say something, but I have nothing to say. He keeps on talking, "It's weird, isn't it? Waiting to be claimed? Everyone makes a big deal when a friend gets claimed. You'll love it." He doesn't know me at all. When I go up to make an offering to the gods, I pray, _show me who I belong to. _I don't know who I am praying to. A god. The God. Buddha. Jesus. Religion makes my head hurt. Ms. Oscar had always been committed to taking us to Church, but she had never forced us to believe anything. I decided she didn't believe it either. She used ungodly words sometimes, so I came to the conclusion when I was little; God didn't like her very much. She laughed when I told her my theory.

I miss her laugh.

After dinner, there is a campfire. There are cabins singing, scary stories and talk of quests. It hits me how _normal _this is. I hope that someday, this will be a part of my normal life. I need routine. I need to make this home. I don't want to be homeless. Chiron ends the night with an encouraging prep talk and sends us off to bed. I slip into my cot, and close my eyes, but I immediately feel sick to my stomach. I can't sleep here.

I grab my blanket and go out on the porch of the cabin. I don't have a pillow, and the porch is hard, but I am comfortable. I slink inside myself. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. _What goes on around you is just a part of life. But what goes on inside of you is a big deal. It matters. _My breathing steadies and I slowly slip into a light sleep.

"What on earth are you doing?" a voice asks me. I frantically sit up. My dreams had been sweet. I don't remember them, but I know that I enjoyed them. My insides are still warm from the pleasant dream. Luke stands above me, waving a flashlight in my face.

"I was _trying _to sleep," I huff, using the sharpest tone I could muster.

"It's chilly out," he comments, "You should go back inside."

"No," I argue. I won't let do as he says. "I can't sleep in there. Too many people." Unfamiliar people. People with families, friends and secrets. People I will never get to know. What if I am stuck here until the day I die? Will I be a stranger in my new home forever? I try not to think about it.

"Once, I ran away when I got in a fight with Chiron. I was fourteen or fifteen. It was Christmas Eve. I made it down the hill, and then I started to crave hot chocolate. So I went to the Big House and Chiron had hot chocolate with whip cream waiting for me," I don't know why he is telling me this. There is no point to his story. It is a feel good story, but I just want to sleep. It is the middle of the night. I want to dream again.

I impatiently wait for him to elaborate his point. He gives me a lopsided grin, "The point is, this will be your new home. Your needs will be met. Don't try to run." This sounds like a rehearsed speech. He seems like the leader and all of the younger campers look up to him. He probably says this to everyone. Except this speech doesn't apply to me.

"I'm not going to run," I answer. He has no right to assume that I will run.

"Why not?" he is slightly surprised. He knows that I am unhappy here. I haven't tried to hide.

"I have nowhere to go," I say, "Now, go away." I am tired of talking. I am tired of people. I am tired of life. I just want to sleep.

"You have training with me in the morning," he replies, "I hope you're a good fighter." I don't answer him. I roll over and squeeze my eyes shut, wishing he would just disappear. While others may enjoy his company, I don't. I don't understand him. I don't understand boys. I won't pretend I do. And I won't try to understand.

The cabin must be cleaned. Everyone complains so I volunteer to clean it for them. I am a good cleaner. It's all I'm even good for. Just minutes later, the cabin is spotless. The Hermes cabin is impressed and seems to like me more. They try to be my friend. After breakfast, Luke takes me to the training center.

He tosses me a sword and I have to use all my strength to hold it up. I am weak. He lunges and blocks and shows off his skills. I have no skills.

"Maybe you're a daughter of Aphrodite," Luke states thoughtfully as we take a water break.

"That's just a nice way of saying I suck," I reply. I'm _not _Aphrodite's daughter. I am not pretty enough, not ditzy enough and I have no interest in appearances.

"I don't think you are either," he says as if he has read my mind. My expression must have said it all. "Are you super smart?"

"No."

"Are you really good at sports?"

"No."

"Are you really competitive?"

I pause for a second. I don't know. When I played games with the younger girls in the orphanage, I had always let them win. I had never tried to win. "No."

"Do you like nature?"

"No."

"Do you like the ocean?"

"No."

"Are you aggressive?"

"No."

"I doubt that," he winks at me and tosses me the sword. "So _what _are you?" He looks at me like I am a puzzle he is trying to put together. I just stare at him. I don't even know what I am. He pats my shoulder and tosses me a sword. "Let's just start with form and go from there." Then he stops. And he smirks. "Well, that doesn't help."

There is a symbol over my head.


	4. Chapter 4

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I can't see the symbol over my head. "What is it?" I ask, eagerly. I hope it is a major god, like Ares. I don't want it to be Hermes. I can't handle another night in that overcrowded cabin.

"It is Nemesis," Luke answers, but he doesn't exactly sound happy. I try to remember who Nemesis is. The goddess of retribution. So, I guess I won't have any cool powers. I won't be as pretty as Aphrodite, strong as Ares or be able to make things like Hephaestus. Instead, I am someone who can bring justice. Oh joy. "There isn't a cabin here for Nemesis," I realize. Nemesis is considered a minor god, and there hasn't been a cabin built for her. I don't belong here. I wouldn't fit in at a table at any of the meals.

"Nemesis has always kept low on the radar. She has never claimed someone to be her offspring," Luke says but he jokingly punches my shoulder, "That makes you special." There's that word again. _Special. _I don't want to be special. Special is just a nice way to say that I am weird and I don't have a place in this world. "I'll take you to Chiron. We'll find you somewhere to sleep."

"Does this mean that I have to leave?" I ask. I don't want to leave. I just don't want to stay if there is nowhere for me to stay.

Luke lets out a hearty laugh, "This means that you are definitely staying here." He is just trying to make me feel better. I wonder if he has ever felt like an outcast. I wonder if he has ever felt alone. He doesn't seem like he's ever had that problem. Everyone knows him. But as he leads me to the Big House, I notice something I didn't notice before. People give him sympathetic glances. As if they pity him. I didn't see it before. Perhaps, because I was too caught up to see anything but what I wanted to see. They do like him, but something has happened. I decide that it is none of my business.

Chiron is sitting on the porch with Dionysus, a guy who really does irk me.

"She's been claimed," Luke announces, with a huge smile on his face. He looks like he wants to celebrate.

"That is wonderful news," Chiron comes over and pats my shoulder. "So tell me, who are you?"

I hesitate. "Daughter of Nemesis."

"You don't sound very pleased," he frowns and searches my eyes for an answer. "Nemesis is a great god. You should be proud."

I try not to hide my displeasure, but I can't. "Where will I stay?" I take a deep breath. I don't want to be nuisance, but I can't keep it inside any longer. "I don't want to stay in the Hermes cabin."

"We have cooties," Luke teases. "Plus there are monsters under her bed." He is trying to make a joke out of this. I am grateful for his effort, even if it isn't helping me feel better.

Chiron looks at the horizon for a moment. He is in deep thought. "Oh gods, I hope I am doing the right thing." It is mostly to himself. Then he turns back to me and says, "There is a spare room in the Big House."

"Alright, royal treatment!" Luke pumps his fist in the air, "I'm so jealous of you!" I look up at the Big House. I will get a room to myself. I won't have to sleep with boys in the same room. It isn't crowded. I can't help but smile.

"Smile more," Chiron tells me, "It looks good on you."

"Happy suits you," Luke agrees, "Now how about some volleyball?" I nod. Volleyball was a sport that I always played with the other girls in the orphanage. It is a good team sport and it builds character. I can actually hold my own in volleyball. "The Big House is a great place to stay."

"Have you ever slept in there?" I ask. He stiffly nods, and I drop the subject. It is not something he is comfortable talking about. I don't want to ask too many questions and scare him away. There are already several campers playing volleyball, and Luke and I play on opposite teams.

My team wins. We are all sweating like pigs, but it is nice. The sun is shining brightly, there is no wind and the air is fresh. I love the outdoors. After the game, Luke approaches me, drinking his weight in water.

"I wish you had been on my team. You're good," he praises. "Now just transfer all of that into fighting."

"I don't think I want to learn how to fight," I say. I can't imagine actually harming-or killing-someone. No matter how evil someone may be, they have a soul. I cannot play God-or gods. It is not my job to take someones life.

"If you had known how to fight, you could have saved Ms. Oscar," Luke says. He immediately clamps his mouth shut. "I didn't mean that. Her death was out of your control. I just wanted to motivate you. I-"

I shake my head, "It's okay. I know that I could have saved her if I had known how to fight." I refuse to cry. I just want to crawl into a hole and forget about her. "It is my fault." Luke gives me this look that says he understands. "You can relate, can't you?" I don't know why I say it. I don't expect him to tell me anything.

"More than you will ever know," he sighs. And then I immediately feel better. I am not alone. He knows what I am going through. I want to ask him if he has ever lost someone that he loved. But I don't. I don't need to know.

"How did you move on?" I ask. Then I realize something that I don't want to. He hasn't moved on. He thinks about it all the time. It still hurts him. "Is there a way to move on?"

Luke gives me a lopsided grin, and I know that this conversation has gotten too personal for him. He doesn't have an answer for me. "We are demigods, we all have our own challenges to face. Moving on is yours. But you have to fight if you want to survive. If you don't fight, you die. We don't have the luxury that mortals do." He almost sounds bitter, but I decide that I am imagining it. He gives me a sweet smile, "Let's go train again."

I just want to be strong enough. Strong enough to move on. Strong enough to fight. Strong enough to survive.


	5. Chapter 5

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I almost want to sleep outside the Hermes cabin. The room I sleep in is too dark, too quiet, and too empty. I feel like there are eyes watching me. I can almost hear whispers and faint laughter. I squeeze my eyes shut. I try to convince myself that I am safe in the Big House. Nobody can touch me. But those thoughts never calm my nerves. They never do.

In the morning, there are dark rings under my eyes. It makes me grouchy, but I try my best to hold it all in. I don't want to get on the bad side of anyone.

"I wonder if I look like Nemesis," I say as Luke shows me a few tricks with the sword. I'm not good at sword fighting, but I know that it is important. I try my best, but my best doesn't seem to be good enough.

"You have her hair," Luke says, "and her nose. I guess the rest of you looks like whoever your father is." _My father. _Obviously, he didn't love me. Because he got rid of me. He didn't want me. He left me. Whoever he is, he's a cruel bastard. He didn't even leave a note when I was found at the orphanage. Even if my father is alive, I will forever consider myself an orphan. He is no father of mine.

"Don't let it be bitter," Luke adds, but I can't tell if he is trying to tell himself or me. "Everyone has daddy issues." He is definitely bitter about his own father.

"Do you hate him?" I can't help but ask. There is a look in his eyes that I just can't understand.

"Hate is a strong word," he avoids answering the question. So the answer is yes. He does hate Hermes. "But you can't choose your family. But you can choose your friends. Here, the other campers become family."

_Family. _I have always wanted a real family. A mom, a dad, a dog and maybe even a little brother. We would live in a comfortable house and eat dinner together and watch movies. We found argue, clean and just be a _family. _But now I have an epiphany. I won't get that family. But I can have a family. These kids can become my family. It will be a warped, abnormal family. We will be a family that sings around a campfire, fights with swords and kills monsters together. But no family is really normal. This is all I got. So I will make do.

I will create a new family.

During lunch, I decide to step outside my comfort zone and I sit with Aphrodite girls. I might as well make friends with everyone. Then I can find where I belong. They are all giddy. I try to act like I belong, but they annoy me. But a week passes. And finding a family seems impossible. I don't fit anywhere. The Ares cabin is too aggressive. The Aphrodite cabin is too materialistic. So, I spend my time with Luke. And he starts to feel like family.

I sit outside the Big House, watching the sunset. Luke sits next to me. "I think my dad is trying to say something to me," he says, his voice barely a whisper. I am starting to figure out that Luke is an onion. He has a lot of layers to him. He is a giant onion the size of a house with 23543 layers. I can still see that there is something buried deep within him. He is good at hiding it, but I am better as seeing things that have been hidden.

"What is he trying to say?" I ask. I am not completely comfortable around him. He still burps, makes insensitive comments and checks out girls butts. He's still a boy. But he is the only person I feel like I can talk to without being judged or laughed at. Everyone is in such a tight clique, and I feel like an outcast. I really have tried to fit in somewhere. Luke is the only one who isn't in a tight clique. Everyone knows him. He knows everyone. But something is off.

"I don't think I want to hear it," he spits, "nothing my father has to say is worthwhile." That's when I realize how ugly bitterness is. It is eating himself up.

"Maybe you should give it a try," I encourage him. "You can't run from him forever."

Luke gives me a wary look and smiles. I can't help but smile too.

"Luke!" Annabeth runs up to us, and stops short when she sees me. I don't think she likes me very much. She casts glares at me. I can tell that she is so in love with Luke. I don't know how Luke feels about her. And I really don't care. It's between them two, and I don't need to know.

Luke and Annabeth wander off, and I am left alone. When it becomes dark, the campfire starts. I find a place to sit, but don't talk to anyone.

I can barely sleep that night. I am starting to doze off, but then I see a figure standing over my bed. I let out a shriek and sit up. Luke turns on the flashlight.

"You almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing?" I gasp for air. I had thought I was going to die.

"My dad talked to me," he is anxious and fidgeting. Whatever his father said, it is important and not good. I groan and sit up. I really do just want to sleep. I want to crawl under my covers, put the pillow on my face and sleep forever. I want to sleep my life away. But I don't have that option. I am here and I have to make the most of it, even if it kills me.

"What did he say?" I don't think I want to know. I can't handle more bad news.

"He wants me to do his dirty work," he spits the words out like he just had a teaspoon of salt. From all the mythology stories I had read, I know that gods always have their kids to their dirty work. It's part of being a demigod. The gods always gave their children a choice though-do it and be a hero or don't do it and die.

I eye him suspiciously, "What exactly is it that he wants you to do?"

"There is this golden apple," Luke begins slowly, as if he is still trying to figure this out too. "Dad wants me to get it."

"And where exactly is this apple?"

"Far away," he huffs and sits on the end of my bed. For once, I don't snap at him for bursting my personal bubble. I've never had a boy sit on my bed before. But it is Luke, and I don't mind. When he sits on my bed, I don't feel so alone. I actually feel like I have a friend. I like having someone. Even if this someone is a goofy, burping, secretive boy named Luke.


End file.
